Interested in taking a Classics course this year? Check out our undergraduate course offerings, with descriptions, below!
Quick Links - Fall 2025:
- CLA170: Ancient Texts, Modern Worlds
- CLA217: Marginal Identities
- CLA222: Sex, Death, and Poetry
- CLA231: Roman History
- CLA236: Greek and Roman Epic
Quick Links - Winter 2026:
- CLA215: Classical Warfare
- CLA219: Women in Antiquity
- CLA224: Letters from the Past
- CLA230: Greek History
Fall 2025 Courses
CLA170: Ancient Texts, Modern Worlds
An introduction to Greek and Latin literature and culture which highlights the theoretical issues involved in the translation and reception of ancient texts. It introduces key works of literature, questions what it means to talk about an “original” text, asks what makes for an “accurate” translation, and sharpens awareness of linguistic issues even for students without Latin and Greek.
What to get excited about: One of the most distinguished and talented teachers in the department, an eye-opening exploration of the complexity of human language and how it shapes understanding of stories and ideas across generations and cultures.
CLA217: Marginal Identities
Instructor Katerina Apokatanidis
An exploration of the groups and individuals who could be considered "marginal" in Greek and Roman antiquity. Includes discussion of ancient ideas about race, ethnicity, social status, economic class, gender, sexuality, and disability.
What to get excited about: A rare chance to glimpse the rich social worlds of ancient Greece and Rome – beyond the “great men” and stomping armies you’ll normally read about in ancient history textbooks.
CLA222: Sex, Death, and Poetry
Professor Gianmarco Bianchini
A study of the themes of sex and death and the connection between them in the poetry of ancient Greece and Rome. Readings will be drawn from Greek and Roman lyric, epic, tragedy, and other genres.
What to get excited about: You can’t get much more ‘human universal’ than sex and death! And the ancient Greeks and Romans thought A LOT about both. This course gets into the serious and silly ways ancient poets dealt with both existential dread and doing stuff in the bed (or reclining couch, in some cases).
CLA231: Roman History
A historical survey of the most significant features in the development of the civilization and state of ancient Rome from the mythical beginnings to the fourth century C.E.
What to get excited about: Learn all about the colorful characters and head-spinning drama of Rome’s rise from a tiny village to a sprawling empire, then watch in horror as it all unraveled amidst the decadence and decay of the later imperial period. The internet is full of bad takes about how the Roman Empire’s decline has lessons for modern states – learn the facts and develop your own under the tutelage of an internationally acclaimed Roman historian.
CLA236: Greek and Roman Epic
Professor Dylan Kenny
Readings and discussions centered on the epic poems of Greek and Roman antiquity (e. g. The Iliad and Odyssey of Homer and the Aeneid of Virgil).
What to get excited about: Ancient epic poetry is TRULY EPIC. Messy love affairs, disastrous grudge matches, raucous family drama, harrowing scrapes with vengeful gods and gnarly monsters – the range!!
Winter 2026 Courses
CLA215: Classical Warfare
Professor Elliott Fuller
An introduction to the military history of ancient Greece and Rome from the 8th century BCE to the 7th century CE, with an emphasis on the political, social and economic implications of warfare and military institutions.
What to get excited about: You’ve played Rome: Total War – now get ready to learn about how ancient militaries really worked, from leadership and tactics to troop recruitment and technologies of war. If you are a fan of any kind of strategy gaming, you’ll definitely want to torsion catapult yourself into this class; you’ll never feel like an NPC again.
CLA219: Women in Antiquity
Instructor Anastasia Zabalueva
A survey of the position of women in ancient Greece and Rome, with focus on women's sexuality and socialization; their economic, religious, and political roles; and their creative production in the arts.
What to get excited about: Ok girlboss!! The ancient world was full of amazing, brilliant women, though you sure wouldn’t know it based on the tired old narratives you get in the usual textbooks. From sex-striking Athenians (talk about desperate housewives!) to the powerfully devious queens of Rome, this course uncovers women’s often-overlooked impact in Greco-Roman society.
CLA224: Letters from the Past
A study of letters and letter writing in Greek and Roman Antiquity. Students will be introduced to ancient theories of epistolography and a wide variety of texts, including letters by famous historical figures, philosophical letters, poetic letters, and fictional letters in prose.
What to get excited about: Long before sliding into DMs, emoji eggplants, and Signalgate appeared in our lives, people had to do their griping, romancing, and conniving using good old fashioned pen and paper. Take a truly viewpoint-altering tour of ancient letters and imagine yourself back into a pre-screen world in which communication over distance was radically different (and often politically dangerous), before thumb-typing reigned supreme.
CLA230: Greek History
A historical survey of the most significant features in the development of the civilization and states of ancient Greece from the Bronze Age to the second century B.C.E.
What to get excited about: The ancient Greeks were, to put it in a modern idiom, genuine drama queens – petty, jealous, squabblesome, and often extremely ‘brat’ about it all. Erase from your mind the image of staid philosophical introspection in gleaming white marble halls through a rollicking tour of the messy course of ancient Greek city-states and their ceaseless foibles, all guided by the department’s most hilarious, energetic and brilliant Greek historian.